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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the immense task of staving off a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 furnished him far more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be attainable,' he notes.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs find himself here? 'That's the element of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he states, breaking into laughter. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear sign of his playful character across a colourful conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He opens some post on his desk. Among it is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another delivery brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this genuinely makes me very content,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until his move back from North Carolina to assume his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion David Pipe duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards were released, an curious error came to light. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian joined the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an seasoned professional, so long in the business, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He stayed out of it at all. After that week we had a meeting and he said: 'I’ve observed you for a week and I’m not going to change anything.''

Fuchs values experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very driven, very anxious to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s determination originates in his upbringing in Neunkirchen. {'There are comparisons to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be good enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my personality is: I’m very determined. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Analytical Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, lower-league football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just launching it all the time.'

The overarching numbers present sobering reading. Newport have won three of 19 league matches and are without a victory in eight in all competitions. By the time of their next home game, they will have not secured three points at home for 273 days and have kept just two clean sheets in 26 matches this season. But a recent 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men garnered a crucial point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to create a stronghold.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the thick of things. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the small-sided games – two nutmegs already, get in! I want us to view each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this collectively.'